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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22621561">love is a game we deserve to play out loud</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellcat52/pseuds/hellcat52'>hellcat52</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Jewish Peter Parker, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 08:28:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,842</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22621561</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellcat52/pseuds/hellcat52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter just wants to get through his last year of high school in peace. </p><p>But since things never go the way he wants them to, first Peter has to deal with two matchmaking aunts, pretending to date his best friend, and the Human <em>Freaking</em> Torch.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gwen Stacy/Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker/Johnny Storm</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>love is a game we deserve to play out loud</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Whoever started the whole “I hate Mondays” thing obviously never had to deal with Fridays, Peter thought. <em>Garfield clearly had no idea about the stress that Fridays bring. </em></p><p>Peter was currently swinging away from the distant sound of police sirens, leaving a foiled robbery at a corner store on his way home from school. It was just his luck: academic decathlon practice ran late, followed by Harry anxiously stopping Peter at his locker to freak out about his date with Liz later that night, then finally, someone tried to rob his favourite bodega, the one with the guy who gave him free chips with his sandwiches and had a picture of Spider-Man on the corkboard behind the cash register. </p><p>Of course, all of this <em>had</em> to happen on the one day a week Aunt May expected Peter home on time. She had been nagging him about it all week, which Peter had to admit was pretty fair. He didn’t exactly have a good track record with getting places on time. As he approached Forest Hills, Peter slipped into a familiar alley near his apartment building. He fell over a couple of times as he fumbled out of his Spidey suit and into dark jeans and a blue button-up shirt. He ran his fingers through his hair until he thought it was at least somewhat presentable, without a mirror he could only guess, and jogged a few blocks to his building. In the elevator, Peter was stuck making small talk with his neighbor Mrs. Vega for twelve floors until she got off, and the next three floors went agonizingly slowly, as if every force in the universe was hellbent on making Peter late for shabbat dinner.</p><p>When he opened the door, Peter was greeted with the smell of freshly baked challah and chicken soup. MJ was scrolling through her phone on the couch, her back to the kitchen where Anna Watson and May were standing and chatting. Once the door clicked shut, three pairs of eyes looked up at Peter, each with a different expression. May shot him a stern look that meant he was definitely on dishwashing duty later. Anna smiled at him like she always did, like he was an angel who could do no wrong. And then there was MJ, who was smirking amusedly because she knew he was about to spout off some elaborate excuse that everyone would eat right up.</p><p>Peter shrugged off his backpack and collapsed on the couch next to her. “Sorry May. Decathlon ran super late, and then Harry needed my help with something, and…” He trailed off as Aunt May sighed and a wry grin formed on her face. “Peter, I don’t think you were on time for your own birth. Now hurry up and do the kaddish before we all starve.” Peter grinned back at her, releasing a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and went over to the small circular dinner table where his ratty old purple kippah was sitting next to the candlesticks and grape juice. He clipped it on to his head and quickly recited the blessing, then watched as Mary Jane said the prayer for the candles, and then all four of them for the challah. </p><p>They all sat down to eat and the silence during the blessings was replaced immediately by both aunts interrogating the teens with endless questions about school, university applications, summer jobs, and extra-curriculars. Just when Peter thought he made it through, Aunt May brought up the spring formal. “You know Peter, that school dance is coming up in a couple of months, and you don’t have a date yet.” Anna caught on quickly, trying to hide her smile. “Neither do you Mary Jane.” MJ rolled her eyes and stood up from the table. She grabbed Peter’s hand and shot off an excuse of going to hang out in his room, and dragged him down the hall before he could protest, leaving the aunts to smile and tell the teens to keep it PG. </p><p>Once Peter was sure the door was shut, he sighed heavily. MJ had already jumped face first onto his bed, exasperated. He sat down next to her and tapped her shoulder hesitantly. “Do you think they’ll ever give up, MJ?” She rolled over and huffed, throwing a hand over her eyes. “Pete, they’ve been dropping hints since middle school. You’d think by now they would catch on that neither of us are interested, but…” She trailed off, absentmindedly readjusting Peter’s Avengers themed throw pillows. </p><p>“I can deal with it when it’s just May, but the two of them together are an unstoppable force. And at least I can always go take my frustration out on whatever C-list villain-of-the-week shows up in Midtown.” </p><p>MJ stood up with purpose and started pacing the room, continuing the rant. “And it’s not just the two of them! Liz and Harry have been conspiring for weeks to get us to go on a double date with them. I know they think they’re being nice, but it really sucks for everyone to make jokes about us at lunch while my real girlfriend is sitting right next to me. I barely see Gwen outside of school lately because she’s scared of everyone finding out about us.”</p><p>Peter stood and put his arm around her shoulders to comfort her, trying to calm her down. “Hey, I’m here for you. And remember, after we graduate this year, you don’t have to worry about hiding anymore.” MJ melted  into his side, looking anxious. “What if Gwen changes her mind about coming out? What if she never does, and either we live a long unhappy life of secrecy from her parents, or worse, what if she breaks up with me?” </p><p>Peter looked at her incredulously. “You don’t seriously believe that do you? You can’t keep worrying about things that may or may not happen. She’s your girlfriend and she loves you. Focus on that.” MJ gave him a small reluctant smile. “Thanks Pete. Occasionally, you actually give good advice.” She moved out of his arms and turned to him, smirking. “You know, sometimes I think I should give in to Anna and try to seduce you. I don’t think anyone could resist this hot mess with great hair.” </p><p>Peter laughed and pulled her back into a tight hug. “If you’re a hot mess, I don’t even want to think about what that makes me. And I’m sorry to burst your bubble, MJ, but I don’t think your seduction would work. Unfortunately, we both play for different teams. Or, wait, the same team? I don’t know.” While Peter was flustered and rambling, MJ leaned back from the hug with a dubious look on her face. Peter immediately pointed a finger at her accusingly. “Oh no. I know that look. Whatever you just thought, forget it. You’re about to drag me into some morally ambiguous plan that will definitely blow up in our faces, and I am <em>not</em> going along with it this time.”</p><p>MJ shrugged and tried to be nonchalant, failing to hide her smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Parker. I’ve never schemed a day in my life.” Peter stared at her, deadpan for a few moments before giving in. “Okay, just tell me already.” MJ’s face lit up and she paced excitedly as Peter lay down on his bed. “I have an idea. It’s definitely morally ambiguous, but I think the two of us are entitled to some shenanigans by now. So our problem is that our family and friends think we secretly love each other or whatever, right? And I have to stop the suspicion around me and Gwen, and soon, or I am going to freaking explode. So what if we solve a decade of failed matchmaking and help my relationship at the same time?” </p><p>Peter leaned forward on his elbows, almost slipping off the bed until he caught himself. “I have no idea where you’re going with this, but I’m listening.” The voices in the living room were quieter now, and Peter could hear the sound of late night television through the walls. </p><p>MJ put her hand on her hip, shooting Peter a fierce look that reminded him of how scary she could be when she was determined. “Obviously, Pete, we have to date.” The sound that came out of Peter was a mix of a laugh and a choking sound, but before he could argue MJ covered his mouth with her hand. “Well, <em>fake</em> date. Hear me out: we pretend to date until graduation in a few months. We appease the aunties, our friends, show them we really tried it out, and then amicably break up when we move out for college.” </p><p>When she took her hand away, Peter was still stunned and confused. “I’ve known you for most of my life, Mary Jane, and we’ve done stupid things before, but this is next level insane! And I’m planning on being out before college.” MJ groaned and sat back down. “Just hear me out. If we pretend we’re dating, we won’t have to endure anymore awkward dinners with our aunts, no more meddling friends at school, and Gwen won’t have to worry about being outed. Plus, we can cover for each other. When I’m out with Gwen, you can tell everyone I’m out with you, and I can cover for you too.” </p><p>“Cover for what? I’m single, and I don’t think any boy in New York would notice me unless I dressed up in bad drag and tried to take over the city.” Peter sighed, dejected. MJ patted him on the shoulder. “First of all, please do that and let me film you, I would get so many youtube hits. Second, the rest of this year is hereby named Mission: Get Peter A Man. Operation GPAM. I’m not great at acronyms. But I <em>am</em> great at acting, so I can make us as believable as possible. Plus, I can cover for you when you’re out swinging.” With that final point, plus the fact that Peter couldn’t bear to see his two favourite lesbians break up, Peter stuck his hand out to MJ’s to shake on it. </p><p>“I’m going to plan everything out, don’t worry. I know that if you try to come up with any backstory on the spot you would trip over your words so many times that I would have to take you to the emergency room. But really, thank you, Peter.” She hugged him so tight that even with his super-durability he might have busted a rib.</p><p>When the Watson’s went back to their apartment down the hall later that night, Peter was left with his mind running in a thousand different directions. <em>I’ve lied about worse things before, I can do this for MJ and Gwen.</em> They deserve to be happy. Peter fell asleep that night, hoping for some bad guys to pummel the next day, and trying not to think about every possible way this plan could go wrong.</p>
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